Storage unit for high performance computing system, storage network and methods

Abstract

There is disclosed a storage unit for high performance computing system, a storage network and a method of providing storage and of accessing storage. The storage unit includes an enclosure constructed and arranged to receive plural storage devices to provide high density, high capacity storage. The unit also includes a network connector and at least one integrated application controller constructed and arranged to run a scalable parallel file system for accessing data stored on the storage devices and providing server functionality to provide file access to a client via the network connector.

1 . A storage unit for a High Performance Computing system, the storage unit comprising:
 an enclosure constructed and arranged to receive plural storage devices to provide high density, high capacity storage;   a network connector; and,   at least one integrated application controller constructed and arranged to run a scalable parallel file system for accessing data stored on said storage devices and providing server functionality to provide file access to a client via the network connector.   
     
     
         2 . A storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the application controller provides RAID data protection to the storage devices. 
     
     
         3 . A storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two integrated application controllers arranged to provide redundancy in the storage unit. 
     
     
         4 . A storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the file system is a linearly scaling file system. 
     
     
         5 . A storage unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the file system is Lustre. 
     
     
         6 . A storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage devices are Serial Attached SCSI disk drive units. 
     
     
         7 . A storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one application controller includes a unit management application that monitors and/or controls the storage unit hardware infrastructure and software. 
     
     
         8 . A storage network comprising plural storage units according to  claim 1  and a switch for providing access to at least one user, the storage units being connected to the switch in a star topography. 
     
     
         9 . A storage network according to  claim 8 , comprising a metadata server connected to the switch for providing network request handling for the file system and/or a management server connected to the switch for storing configuration information for the file systems in the storage system. 
     
     
         10 . A storage network according to  claim 8 , comprising a management server, the management server including a processor for running a system management application for monitoring and controlling the system, wherein the system management program can communicate with storage unit management applications via a separate management network connecting the management server and the storage units. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing storage to a High Performance Computer system, the method comprising:
 connecting plural storage units to a switch with a star topography; and,   connecting a client of the High Performance Computing system to the switch, wherein each of said plural storage units comprises:   an enclosure constructed and arranged to receive plural storage devices to provide high density, high capacity storage;   a network connector for connecting to said switch; and,   at least one integrated application controller constructed and arranged to run a scalable parallel file system for accessing data stored on said storage devices and providing server functionality to provide file access to a client via the network connector.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , comprising increasing the storage capacity of the network and linearly scaling the application controller performance and interconnects by connecting at least one additional storage unit to the switch. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the application controller provides RAID data protection to the storage devices. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein there are at least two redundant integrated application controllers arranged to provide redundancy in the storage unit. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the file system is a linearly scaling file system. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the file system is Lustre. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the storage devices are Serial Attached SCSI disk drive units. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one application controller includes a unit management application that monitors and/or controls the storage unit hardware infrastructure and software. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , comprising connecting a metadata server connected to the switch for providing network request handling for the file system and/or connecting a management server to the switch for storing configuration information for the file systems in the storage system. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , comprising connecting a management server to the switch, the management server including a processor for running a system management application for monitoring and controlling the system, and the system management program communicating with storage unit management applications via a separate management network connecting the management server and the storage units. 
     
     
         21 . A method of accessing storage from a High Performance Computing system, the method comprising a client of the High Performance Computer system reading or writing data to plural storage units connected to the client via a switch with a star topography, each storage unit comprising:
 an enclosure constructed and arranged to receive plural storage devices to provide high density, high capacity storage;   a network connector for connecting to said switch; and,   at least one integrated application controller constructed and arranged to run a scalable parallel file system for accessing data stored on said storage devices and providing server functionality to provide file access to a client via the network connector.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising:
 the client accessing a metadata server connected to the switch to find the location of the data on the plural storage units.